Rail-bending tool



(No Model.)

J. R. JAMES.

RAIL BBNDING TOOL.

Patented Peb. 12, 1895.

MVr/from Mmm K. 1111 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. JAMES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAlL-BENDI'NG TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,108, dated February12, 1895. Application tiled April 7, 1894. Serial No. 506,672. (Nomodel.) O

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ROWLAND JAMES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Bending Tools, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a rail bending tool in which a beam or yoke isprovided at its respective extremities with jaws for hoidingr orsupporting the rail at two points, and in which a bending-head engagingwith the rail between the two jaws is moved vertically in order to bendthe portion of the rail between the two points of support.

It relates more particularly to mechanism for imparting a verticalmovement to the bending-head.

In the ordinary construction an externally threaded bending head isinserted in a threaded aperture in the yoke. vBy turning the formertransverse motion isimparted to it so that it bears down upon and bendsthe rail to the desired extent. This arrangement is attended in practiceby certain disadvantages specifically enumerated in Letters Patent No.426,277, issued to me April 22, 1890, and which it was the design of theinvention described and claimed therein to obviate. This I succeeded ina great measure in accomplishing by the arrangement which, brieflydescribed, consisted in attaching to the yoke an internally threadedbushing and in providing the bending-head with an externally threadedlug adapted to engage with the internal thread of a sleeve having anexternal thread engaging v with the internally threaded bushing. Thisconstruction enables the bending-head to be removed when worn or when itis desired to substitute a bending-head of a different congurationsuitable to operate upon a differently shaped rail. It enables thebushing when the threads formed or cut upon the inner surface becomeWorn or abraded to be removed and a new one substituted. The internallyand extern ally thread ed bolt or sleeve may likewise be removed andreplaced. Elements of weakness, however, still attach to this improvedconstruction. The main sleeve is less strong than it would be were itnot bored out centrally and longitudinally to permit engagement with theexternally threaded :lug of the bending-head.V The lug itself in theconstruction is necessarily of much smaller and while it is less able,possibly, than any other working part to bear the strain to which it issubjected, it is the part which suffers the greatest strain. Then, too,on account of its small diameter and comparative weakness, it is notfeasible to attach to it a bending-head having a bearing surface ofsufficient width to engage the entire width of the rail.

The object of my invention is, therefore, primarily, to obviate thesedisadvantages, while at the same time to retain the advantages of myprior structure, and my invention consists of a rail bending toolprovided with mechanism for moving the head transversely of the beam andthat shall be applicable Whether suspended, resting on'a bedplate, onthe ground, or in place upon the ties, the preferred embodiment of whichIwill proceed to describe and particularly point out in my claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is a rear elevation of arail-bending tool einbodying my Ainvention and showing the mechanism formoving the bending-head transversely of the yoke. Fig. 2, is a sectionon the line .frof Fig 1.

A, is a yoke composed of steel or other mate-I rial, preferably insection of H shape, the respective extremities of which have theprojections a provided with recesses B through which, and theprojections, extend bolts C recesses and the stress is removed from thebolts.

The arms D in turn support the rail E, and are of a configurationconforming to that of the rail, as may be seen by reference to Fig. 2.

F, isan internally threaded nut or bushing fitted and keyed, asin Fig.2, to place in an aperture formed in the center of yoke A.

G is a rod having an external thread to engage the internal threadformed upon the bushing F, and provided with ahead Gr hav- ICO ing theholes g2 through which may be inserted hand bars to rotate the same.

The bushing F may be omitted and the yoke A internally threaded, thisconstruction, however, being inadvisable because the wearing away or tbrasion of the thread of the aperture would render unfit for use theent-ire` yoke. As it is the bushing when worn may be removed andreplaced. The rod G is also provided at the lower end with anotherexternal thread of opposite pitch to the thread at its upper portion.This thread is adapted to engage the interiorly threaded bending head H,which is shaped on its lower or bending surface to conform to theconfiguration of a section of the rail E.

The mode of operation of my invention is as followsz-The rail E restsupon the supporting arms D. The threaded rod is rotated in the directionthat will impart to it a downward movement through the stationarybushing F. The bending-head H is held from rotation manually and will,of course, by reason of the opposite pitches of the upper and lowerthreads of the threaded rod, have a movement relative to the movement ofthe rod. The operation is continued, with little friction and noresistance, inasmuch as the mechanism performs no work, until thebending-head is brought in contact wi th the rail. The rotation of therod is continued until the desired bend of the rail is effected, thebending-head in the meanwhile being held from rotating by reason of thesides thereof being confined between the flange and head of the rail.The rail bending tool is then moved along longiv tudinally and the railsubjected to repeated bending actions until it is bent to the desiredcurvature. As the rail is bent the arms D, keep their entire bearingsurface in contact with the rail; that is they are constantly at rightangles and swing inwardly on their pivots to an extent correspondingwith the extent ot' the bend of the rail, being limited, however, intheir movement by the jaws ef the recesses.

If the rail, by accident or mistake, is bent too much this may becorrected and the required curvature obtained by turning the railbending machine over and placing the highest point of the curve of therail against the bendinghead and then force the latter forward as abovedescribed.

I have shown the rod Gr of smaller diameter throughout that portionwhich engages the bending-head H than throughout that portion whichengages the bushing F. This construction is not essential, but ispreferable, inasmuch as it permits the bending-head to have the annularwalls of a thickness and strength calculated to resist the strain towhich itis subjected, and besides enables the rod when the several partsare placed in position or attached, to be inserted or withdrawn fromabove without oecasioning interference between the lower exterior threadand the interior thread of the bushing.

l am enabled, thus to provide the mechanism with a bending-head ofrequisite strength and bearing surface, while at the same time the rod Gis not weakened by being bored out internally.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in a rail bending tool, of a beam or yoke, anattached bushing removable therefrombnt non-revoluble therein andsuitably held in place, and having a threaded aperture, an internallythreaded bending head adapted to engage a rail and conforming thereto inoutline,`and a rod having alower external screw thread adapted to engagewith the interiorly threaded bendin g head, and an upper external screwthread adapted to engage with the internally threaded bushing,substantially as described.

2. In a rail bending tool, the combination of a beam or yoke havingrecesses at its opposite extremities, vibrating arms, within saidrecesses for Supporting the rail and con forming in outline to the railits entire height, an internally threaded bushing rigidly secured tosaid beam or yoke, an internally threaded bendinghead adapted to engagethe rail and conforming to the rail at the point of contact therewith, arod having an upper external screw thread adapted to engage with saidinternally threaded bushing, and a lower external screw thread adaptedto engage with roo the internally threaded bending-head, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination in a rail bending tool of a yoke having recesses atits opposite extremities, a bolt extending through each of saidrecesses, upright rail-supporting arms pivoted to said bolts, aninternally threaded bushing keyed to said yoke, an internally threadedbending-head adapted to engage a rail, a rod having an upper externalscrew 1ro thread adapted to engagewith said internally threaded bushing,and a lower external screwthread adapted toengage with the internallythreaded head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof vI have hereunto set l my signature in the presenceof two subseribing witnesses.

JAMES R. JAMES.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. REED, CEAS. C. COLLIER.

